Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #1
| Writer | Chip Zdarsky |
| Artist | Pasqual Ferry |
| Cover Price | $4.99 |
WHAT IF PETER PARKER BECAME VENOM?
Peter Parker once put on an alien suit that nearly destroyed his life - but what if he'd never taken it off? Ignoring every warning, Spidey embraces the dark symbiote! Haunted by terrible nightmares and exhausted by an endless barrage of bad guys, Peter can't seem to catch a break these days. So when the Hobgoblin attacks, he finds a hero at the end of his rope...and vulnerable to new dark impulses. Spider-Man is about to change his rules - but is it truly Peter who is in charge? Creative powerhouses Chip Zdarsky, Pasqual Ferry and Matt Hollingsworth bring you a terrifying tale of a Peter Parker possesse
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CRITIC REVIEWS
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10
But Why Tho? - Collier "CJ" Jennings
Jan 01, 1970Spider-Man: Spiders Shadow launches a new era of What If? Tales, sending the web-slinger down a dark path. Given Zdarskys previous work, and how gorgeous Ferry and Hollingsworths art looks, this feels like it could be an all-timer for alternate Spider-Man tales. Read Full Review
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10
AIPT - Christopher Franey
Apr 12, 2021This is looking to be a great story of the struggle of a good man as he has to fight his own dark inner impulses, and Chip inflicts some real torture on his main characters. There is also a write up after the story from Chip that just gives you a rundown of what to expect from this new era. Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #1 is the perfect opener to this, and I really look forward to what else is coming from this new run of What If! Read Full Review
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10
Nerdly - Dean Fuller
Apr 21, 2021If you love some Marvel nostalgia, or just great storytelling, you'll love this. Read Full Review
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10
BGCP - Michael Lennox
May 17, 2021I loved the What If? issues in the 1980s and 1990s.. from the ridiculous to the weird and the depressing they help kids (including big ones like me!) explore alternative outcomes to major plots and events in the Marvel Universe. Read Full Review
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9.6
Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz
Apr 15, 2021Zdarksy writes an unbelievable tale and this take on the classic story is absolutely brilliant. The art by Pasqual Ferry is wonderful. I love where this is going. It is a dark story for sure but it is endlessly entertaining. Read Full Review
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9.0
ComicBook.com - Nicole Drum
Apr 14, 2021The issue fires on all cylinders (story, art, colors, it all works here) and is a fantastic first outing for this alternate look at the Marvel universe. Read Full Review
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9.0
Black Nerd Problems - Oz Longworth
Apr 16, 2021Bottom Line: Chip Zdarsky took what could have been a paint-by-numbers What If and created an eerie beginning to a story that plays out more like a pulp horror movie of the week than a Spider-Man story. Read Full Review
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8.6
Geek'd Out - Jonathan Boes
Apr 14, 2021So I hope youre not too sick of symbiotes, because Zdarsky and the team spinning what might be a classic Spider-Man tale. Grab a copy of Spider-Man: Spiders Shadow #1 at your local shop this week. Read Full Review
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8.5
The Comicbook Dispatch - Dispatchdcu
Apr 12, 2021Zdarsky gives readers an introduction on the curtails of a classic that even the casual Spider-fan can get behind. However, there really isnt too much thats jaw-dropping quite yet. If youre a fan of everyones favorite web-head or love What If concepts, this series is right up your alley. I strongly recommend you give it a look. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God bless! Read Full Review
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8.4
Comic Watch - Matt Meyer
Apr 14, 2021Expertly contrasting the expected sunniness of Spider-Man with a dark, foreboding, creeping horror undertone,Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #1 delivers on all expectations. Read Full Review
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8.2
Sequential Planet - Geoffrey Luu
Apr 17, 2021Spider's Shadow is a strong start to the new What If line. It takes itself seriously but its tone and violence feel necessary and earned. It remains to be seen whether this will reach the heights of Spider-Man Life Story, but Zdarsky, Ferry, and Hollingsworth have established great momentum here. Read Full Review
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8.0
Comic Crusaders - Johnny "The Machine" Hughes
Apr 13, 2021The idea of this book may not seem wholly original, yet it comes at a time were symbiotes and Venom are enjoying a bit of a surge in interest thanks to King in Black. Regardless of my apathy towards Zadarsky's Life Story, it is clear, through that and more importantly this book, Zdarsky has a true love for Spider-Man. I just hope that down the line, he punchline is equal to the set-up. Read Full Review
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8.0
Impulse Gamer - Tim Chuma
Apr 17, 2021While this is only a short series, it is probably more suited to bigger Spider-Man fans than the more casual ones from the movies. Seems like there are some more deep cuts here and they wanted to try something different. If you want to see Spider-Man in a different light then I would recommend this series. Read Full Review
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8.0
Horror DNA - James Ferguson
Apr 18, 2021Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow is a chilling look at what could have been for Peter Parker. The groundwork is laid for a path of violence and destruction in this debut issue. I cannot wait to see how this decision changes things not only for Spider-Man, but for those closest to him and the villains he encounters. There are no more quips in battle or leaving a villain strung up for the cops to take in. This is pure power and aggression but not tempered by Peter's humanity. Read Full Review
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8.0
Major Spoilers - Christopher Rondeau
Apr 20, 2021This What If miniseries shows us how brutal Spider-Man can be if he kept the Venom symbiote! Read Full Review
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7.6
Multiversity Comics - Quinn Tassin
Apr 19, 2021"Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow" #1 is a promising, dark, and very coolness beginning for "What If?" Read Full Review
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7.0
Comics: The Gathering - Charles Martin
Apr 14, 2021Spider's Shadow kicks off the story of Peter Parker embracing his symbiote suit with great talent but without great novelty. These are skilled creators, and their skill is in full evidence on the pages. They may well take this story in a surprising direction -- but they haven't done so yet. What we've seen so far is enjoyable and even satisfying, but it's also terribly safe and (I hesitate to end on such a loaded word, but I must) predictable. Read Full Review
USER REVIEWS
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10
What a fantastic what if scenario of a fantastic old Spider-Man tale. This will be a great read it's going to be awesome watching the symbiote taking Peter down the dark path. I'm really excited to see how dark and what consequences develop because of it. I also enjoyed how the artwork reminded me of that era of amazing Spider-Man. Tremendous book
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10
I genuinely loved this! I know Peter is a Spider-Murderer now, but honestly this is the real Symbiote Spider-Man. The art started off a little weird to me, but it really grew on me throughout the issue. I love how the artists portray the black suit. Also, two pages stick out to me. I'd love to own some large prints of them or something. The black cat pages are just so good looking. The coloring is so good. I could gush about those two pages forever. Also, I guess Chip was good at writing. I guess.
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9.0
Finally Aunt May has been murdered ! Yeah, some people say Spidey with the symbiote is an oversaturated plot line. To me it never is. There' s a reason why I got the Venom logo inked on my chest, and it's not entirely for the early memories of thet Black Suit arc that the 90's STAS arc gave people like me while I was still shitting in diapers. That symbiote is a ride-or-die to the fullest, and I love reading it's subversive thoughts and seeing the way it lures Peter into trusting it, while pushing away those he loves. It's like the textbook version of schizophrenia. And then when there's no psychoanalyzing that portion of the story, enter Hobgoblin acting a fool and getting his shit subsequently pushed in because he took the "cat and mo more
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9.0
Well I for one trust these space pyjamas completely.
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9.0
This is really good. The art isn't be favorite but it's not bad. Ferry really captures the alien-ness of the suit, giving it more tendrils and liquidity to it's form that I really like. Some of it just feels a bit scratchy but that's not necessarily a bad thing. On the writing side while it definitely feels like something I've read before Zdarsky really channels old Stern and DeFalco while adding his twist to it. It reads like an old Spidey book with a much darker ending. Familiar yet warped. Fantastic read.
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8.5
" You don't know power Kingsley. I'm power." - SPIDER MAN
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8.5
Zdarsky's Spider-Man Life Story is one of my favourite Spider-Man books of all time, so obviously I was super excited for this one. And boy did it deliver. Writing is fantastic as always, I'm loving Spidey's inner conflict regarding the symbiote and him getting darker and darker with each page. Cannot wait for more of this.
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8.5
Most of this issue felt like a rehash of what happened previously, but I realize it is all necessary to set up the future issues in this series. I did enjoy seeing Black Cat & Hobgoblin in this issue. Zdarsky is skilled at writing the characters' dialogue. I'm not sure I understood Chip's depiction of the skulls in the story unless it was to suggest that PP does not exist under the symbiote suit. The artwork was just serviceable..too bad for this story.
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8.0
It was a pretty good read. Familiar story but, with a new take. I liked it overall and I feel like theres more to come with twists in this series but, hopefully they turn out well.
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8.0
It's off to a good start. It's a better approach to the Symbiote costume era than the last couple of Symbiote mini-series have been. It shows what would have happened if he chose to keep the new costume. It was sad to see him make peace with May, but only to be followed by tragedy. This is obviously the latest attempt to revive the Marvel "What if..." franchise, but as i said, it is off to a good start. I.m eager to see what happens with Spider-Man as the Lethal Protector.
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8.0
Amazing inks and colors.
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7.5
Peter goes through a slow burn as his life gets frustrating and only his weird alien suit offers peace and clarity. He rides that solace right over a cliff at the end, becoming something other than Spider-Man. It's an extremely well-done story in script and art, but the deliberate pace frustrated me. And this might actually be a little too new-reader-friendly; starting practically from square one slows it down even more.
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7.0
Not bad. The art and coloring was done well. It didn't blow me away but I'll most likely pick up issue #2.
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7.0
A promising start. Not the best script from Zdarsky, but it is way better than the art. Wow, the art is bad.
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6.0
Some might think Peter is being an jerk, but it would be totally natural for him to act that way. I like the take on MJ. The art does the job well and so do the colours.
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6.0
Будто бы ребенок напиÑал иÑторию о том, чтобы было бы, еÑли бы человек-паук в Ñимбиоте Ñтал убивать. ПрÑм напомнило Ñтарину Марка Миллара и его понимание о "взроÑлоÑти" в комикÑах.
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4.0
Interesting WHAT IF? story but it didn't pull me in enough to truly care. My first disappointing Zdarsky read
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